Congratulations
by BethSHeartbeat
Summary: A group trip to Vegas and then one morning everyone is suddenly congratulating Zoe only she has no idea why. What has she done this time?
1. Chapter 1

"Congratulations." Ethan said as he walked past Zoe, who was laying out on a deck chair beside the roof top pool with big sunglasses covering her face and masking the hangover. Zoe looked up slightly but Ethan had already walked off, he'd been the third person to congratulate her that morning, at first she thought they'd been congratulating her for managing to get them all a few days away from the ED but now she wasn't so sure. Zoe had managed to sweet talk Connie into allowing a group of her staff go on a trip to Vegas, team building she'd called it, when in fact she meant a few days away from Holby to drink a lot and party.

No one laying out by the rooftop pool were people she knew, she'd seen a couple of her friends but only in passing as they left the pool. Max was still in bed and she'd figured that he was just as hungover as her, only Zoe's head hurt too much to sleep it off and she instead hoped that fresh air might shift the hangover from hell.

"Congratulations." Ash said way too cheerily for Zoe's liking, he moved Zoe's poolside bag from the deck chair next to her and sat on the chair instead.

"You're the fourth person to say that to me this morning, what am I being congratulated for?" Zoe asked groggily.

"Can you honestly not remember last night?" Ash asked, as he watched Zoe remove her sunglasses from her face. "I'll take that as a no."

"Oh God, what did I do?" Zoe sighed, not sure whether she wanted to hear what was about to be said.

"You got married, ring any bells yet?" Ash asked, laughing slightly as he saw Zoe's face drop.

"Married?" Zoe asked slowly, "Who to?"

"Max." He replied as he stood up and walked away.

Zoe looked up into the direction that Ash had just gone, she wasn't quite sure how to comprehend the news that she'd just been told and was perhaps more unsure of how to deal with the fact that everyone knew.

* * *

"Max!" Zoe shouted as she stormed into their shared hotel room, that she'd managed to get as she'd been booking the break.

"Keep your voice down, my head is banging." Max complained, as he dug his head into the pillow to block out her shouting.

"What can you remember about last night?" Zoe asked softly as she sat down in the bed next to him, her shouting hurting her own head as well as Max's.

"Absolutely nothing but I must have drunk a lot, I can't remember feeling this bad in ages." Max replied as he moved and pulled Zoe down into his arms.

"Everyone knows about us Max." Zoe told him.

"I'm sorry." Max said as he looked down at her, he figured that he'd done something stupid and that this was his fault.

"It's not your fault, from what I can gather I think that this is down to both of us."

"What did we do Zo?"

"How about you make your wife a coffee and then I'll tell you?" Zoe replied, Max got straight out of bed and walked over to the mini kettle in their room in his boxers. He looked back around to look at Zoe as he processed her words.

"Wife? Did we get married?" Max asked as he sat on the bottom of the bed.

"Yeah." Zoe replied as she studied Max's face for any hint to how he was feeling.

"You're my wife?" Max asked, a smile creeping across his face.

"Yes." Zoe replied, pushing her own feelings aside for the moment as his smile became infectious.

"Still want a coffee Mrs Walker?"

"Yes please. We're going to have to talk about this later though once we feel normal again."

"That doesn't sound so good, we aren't heading for the divorce courts already are we?" Max asked worriedly.

"Don't be silly, we hadn't planned to get married though baby so we'll need to talk about this properly, later."


	2. Chapter 2

"How are you feeling Mrs Walker?" Max asked as he brought them both a strong cup of coffee each and handed it to her as she crawled back into bed.

"I may be your wife now but my name is still Zoe." She giggled.

"I know, I just can't believe that we're married." Max smiled.

"Me neither but the fact remains, we are."

"I know and I couldn't be happier about it, apart from if I could actually remember it."

"I know what you mean. I'm sure someone took pictures, after all why wouldn't they want to embarrass us." Zoe laughed.

"Are you happy?" Max asked suddenly, causing Zoe to put her mug on the bedside cabinet and cuddle into her new husband.

"Yep, we maybe should have waited until we were sober and people actually knew we were together but it'd have led us to the same end result. My mum will be thrilled, she was always getting on at me to get married, especially as I've been engaged twice." She said before leaning up to kiss him. From the other side of the room she heard her iPad ring, telling her she had an incoming FaceTime call. "Hold that thought Mr Walker." Zoe told him playfully as she picked her iPad up and placed it on the desk in the room before accepting Connie's incoming call.

"Team building you called it not using department money to pay for a Vegas wedding to your porter, which we also need to have words about." Connie's angry voice filled the room as her face filled the iPad screen.

"Nice to speak to you to Mrs Beauchamp." Max called from out of the shot, to which she sighed at.

"In all fairness Connie, I didn't come out here with the intention of getting married. In fact I think I speak for both myself and Max when I say that marriage was the last thing on our mind when we flew out here."

"Well I suppose I should congratulate you on your marriage Dr Hanna, or Walker? Whatever it is now. We need to talk when you get back and if you happen to speak to anyone back here on the phone, tell them to get on with their work and stop gossiping." Connie spoke before she hung up leaving Zoe staring at the screen.

"The other side of the world and news still seems to reach them in seconds." Zoe spoke as she crawled back into bed and into Max's arms.

"It's hardly surprising, have you checked your phone this morning?" Max asked as he had his in one hand.

"No, why?"

"Well it's all over Facebook, I have found those pictures you wanted too, Ethan posted some and I have to say you looked stunning Mrs Walker." He told her as he showed her the pictures that were over the Internet.

"Shame I can't say the same about you really isn't it?" Zoe teased. "Oh god, was I tagged in those pictures?" Zoe asked as she picked her phone up and saw 26 missed calls all from the same person.

"Yeah, why?" Max asked curiously.

"My mum clearly knows. Let me ring her. Actually, get dressed and look decent and we can skype my parents together."

"We should have probably done the whole meet the parents thing before we got married Zo."

"Well we were never very traditional." Zoe laughed, before she whispered the next part of her statement. "We might have to start now though."


	3. Chapter 3

"Zoe Hanna is married." Her mum read out from the computer screen as her face filled Zoe's iPad screen.

"Yeah, actually about that..." Zoe began, hearing banging in the bathroom followed by Max swearing.

"You aren't getting divorced already are you? Do you get some sort of pleasure out of bringing shame to this family?" Her mum asked angrily.

"No mum, I am not getting divorced." Zoe sighed, knowing that this was never going to be a good conversation.

"So what made you think you could get married without your father and I being there?" Her mum asked, sad that she hadn't been able to see her only daughter walk down the aisle.

"It wasn't planned, it was a spur of the moment thing." Zoe tried to explain.

"You never even told us that you were engaged again princess." Zoe's dad interrupted.

"That's because I wasn't, as I said it wasn't planned."

"Well then when you get back we can plan a proper wedding together." Zoe's mum started. "Don't look at me like that missy! Are you going to rid me of the chance to plan my only daughter's wedding? God knows I've waited long enough for it to happen."

"I'll have to talk to Max about it mum." Zoe began before realising she'd never even told her parents about Max or even mentioned her new husband's name.

"When do we get to meet Max?" Zoe's dad asked. "I think him and I need to have a little chat."

"I'm not 17 anymore dad."

"He's not far off it though." Her dad laughed as Max became visible on the screen, Zoe scanned her parents face only to see her dad looking amused but happy for her in contrast to the complete disapproval on her mothers face.

"Mum, dad this is Max Walker, my husband."

"Hello Mr and Mrs Hanna, it's nice to meet you." Max greeted them as Zoe got up of the chair she was sat on to let Max sit down and then positioned herself on his lap.

"You too." Zoe's dad replied. "We need to have a little chat when we meet face to face though."

"I'll look forward to it." Max smiled before seeing Zoe's mum quietly seething in the corner.

"Mum wants us to have a proper wedding when we get back to the UK." Zoe told Max as she turned slightly to face him.

"I'm sure my family would love that too." Max replied, seeing Zoe's mother calm a bit, but not much.

"Okay, well as soon as we get back to Holby I'll get some time off so we can come and visit you." Zoe tried to end the conversation as the tension finally seemed to get to her.

"Okay, bye princess, bye Max." Her dad spoke before he ended the call.

* * *

"I don't think your mum liked me." Max brought the subject up as they sat the furthest out of sight in the hotels restaurant while they had their lunch.

"Neither did I when I first met you, you have this skill at wearing people down though so I wouldn't worry." Zoe replied, hoping she sounded more confident than felt.

"I'm sure you're right." He smiled as he reached for her hand and went back to his lunch.

"I always am aren't I?"


	4. Chapter 4

It was still weird being able to display their affection in public even four days after they'd gotten married. Her heels made a noise as she walked across the airport floor, back to the group of her colleagues that she had just left.

"Our plane has been delayed by an hour, we can still check in but we'll be in the departure lounge a little longer than originally planned." Zoe broke the bad news to them, but secretly thanked whatever it was that had delayed the plane as it meant she had longer to shop.

"I say we check in and then split up until we're called to the gate." Ash spoke.

"I'm with you." Max smiled, knowing that he had a surprise for Zoe once they got through check in and security.

"Going through security always reminds me why I don't fly more frequently." Zoe moaned as she sat down to put her stilettos back on.

"Well you've done it now babe. Are you hungry?" Max asked her as she stood back up and grabbed her bag from the seat next to the one she'd just vacated.

"No, I'm going to the toilet though. Can you take this?" She asked as she gestured towards her bag.

"Yep, I'll be over there." Max told her as he pointed at some seats where he could see some of his friends already sat down with coffee and sandwiches.

"What's up Mr Walked?" Rita teased.

"I need you to do me a favour."

"What?"

"Keep Zoe company, ask her to go shopping or something else that I won't want to do." Max asked.

"Why?"

"I have something I need to do, actually Ash I need you to help too."

"With what?"

"Shh." Max interrupted as he saw Zoe returning.

"Hey Zoe, fancy a spot of shopping?" Rita asked, following Max's plan.

"Erm..." Zoe began before looking at Max who nodded and passed her her bag. "Okay, yeah."

"Don't spend too much, I don't want to start our married life in too much debt." He teased.

"Whatever." Zoe rolled her eyes before she planted a gentle kiss on his lips and left with Rita.

"What is it you want Max?" Ash asked as he stood and followed Max over to an expensive looking jewellery store, among a variety of designer labels, which were the opposite direction to which Zoe and Rita had gone.

"I need to buy an engagement ring." Max stated simply as he started looking at what the shop had to offer.

"I'm sorry but the engagement ship has already sailed, you've already gotten married."

"I know that, her mum wants to throw a proper wedding when we get home so I want to do the proper thing this time and get down on one knee. She can hardly say no when she's already said 'I do'." Max laughed.

_This is what you might call a filler chapter, I needed to get them to the stage where they were on their way home so sorry for the jump. I'd like to thank you all for reviews now while I remember, they mean a lot. I would also like to say to those who have been reviewing about updates, I am appalling at regular updates, I'm at a top sixth form with 4 essa_y _based subjects though in my defence so I'm extremely busy. I will continue to update as and when I can but don't get used to this many updates in a weekend._

_Thank you,_

_Beth x_


	5. Chapter 5

"Max, can you take these please?" Zoe asked as she returned to the seats where Rita and herself had left the boys. Max stared at the multiple shopping bags that Zoe was carrying and then removed the headphones from their position over his ears.

"What have you bought?" Max laughed as he watched his wife struggle with her own shopping bags.

"Wait and see." She winked as she noted the lack of any spare seats near her colleagues and instead placed herself on her new husband's lap. "Are you hungry? All that shopping has worn me out." Zoe asked softly as she placed her head on Max's shoulder.

"Yeah I am, let's go and eat." Max spoke, smiling as he did so as his plan seemed to be coming together. "Rita will you look after Zoe's new shop?" Max asked, laughing at himself as both of the girls looked at him with a look of confusion. "Well she's bought enough to stock a small shop!" He explained.

"Yeah whatever." Rita spoke, as Zoe placed her shopping bags on the floor by her friend and took Max's hand.

"Come on baby." Max spoke as he kissed his wife, purely because he could.

They walked over to the small restaurant in the airport.

"It's only an hour until our flight is called so we can only have a main course." Zoe told them as a waiter showed them to their seats.

"Can I get you any drinks?" The young man asked, a thick Tennessee accent coming out of his mouth.

"A coffee please." Zoe asked.

"A coke please." Max asked.

"Okay, I'll be back with your drinks to take your order." The waiter explained.

"So, what's going to happen when we get home?" Max asked, finally broaching the subject.

"What do you mean?"

"Well we're married now, are we going to live together?" He asked.

"Oh, well I have plenty of room if you want to move in and then I suppose we could look for a new house, somewhere that we picked together."

"I like the sound of that very much. What about your name? I've been calling you Mrs Walker, but we haven't actually discussed whether or not you want that to be your name."

"We didn't discuss anything Max. We went from a secret relationship to a married couple overnight, without either of us realising that that was what we'd done. I don't know about the name thing. How about I keep Dr Hanna at work but then outside of the ED and officially I'm Mrs Walker?" Zoe asked, knowing that Max would have no problems with that.

"Perfect."

"Have you decided what you'd like?" The waiter asked as he returned with the drinks.

"Erm, yeah. Can I have a full English breakfast without the black pudding please?"

"Of course, and for you sir?"

"The same please."

"It'll be with you soon."

"So I've been thinking baby..."

"Don't do that, you might get hurt." Zoe laughed before she watched Max move from his seat and get down on one knee, his gaze never leaving hers. "What are you doing?" Zoe hissed, noting the eyes on them from all around the restaurant.

"I know we've done this the wrong way round but as it was pointed out the other day, neither of us have ever done anything traditionally. Zoe Walker, will you marry me?"

"Max I already married you." Zoe spoke softly, not knowing what was really going on.

"Okay, will you marry me again? In a big ceremony in front of everyone, where we're both sober?" She had to laugh at his choice of words, she was speechless though as Max pulled a ring out of his pocket. It was exactly what she would have picked had they picked it together. The ring was a simple gold bang with three diamonds in the centre.

"Of course I will you idiot." Zoe beamed as he slipped the ring on to her finger and then kissed her. "What would you have done had I said no?" Zoe asked playfully.

"I didn't think about it, I knew you wouldn't. Anyway, as you pointed out, you've already said 'I do'."

"I love you you know Max." Zoe sighed happily.

"I know." Max repeated from when Zoe had left Holby and everything had seemed lost for the couple. "I love you too."


	6. Chapter 6

The ED team all took their seats on the aeroplane as they got ready to make their way back to rainy England, it had been a nice relaxing break away from the ED that for some had changed their lives forever.

Zoe and Max had now been married just under a week, and with Max's proposal having coming little more than an hour before they'd gotten onto the plane, they both couldn't control their happiness and the smiles that didn't seem to disappear were the physical proof of that. Their friends were sat all around them and yet they couldn't think about anyone else but each other, everyone else was irrelevant in their bubble.

"So Mrs Walker, back to where it all started." Max spoke gently.

"Yeah, I take it you'll be moving in with me?"

"Is that what you want?" Max asked, unsure of what she wanted him to say.

"Of course it is Mr Walker, I don't want to be without you. You realise that we're going to face a barrage of questions as soon as we get back to Holby." She spoke, needing him to know what they were going to face.

"Yeah but they can wait until I've slept for a couple of days." He replied knowing that they'd be battling jet lag when they returned, "Anyway, what do they really need to know? We're married that's all they need to know."

"I doubt anyone will see it that way Max, anyway I'm sure this lot will answer things for us. Robyn's going to go mad."

"Trust me she'll be annoyed for like a second and then excitement will take over, she'll be dying to be bridesmaid second time round though." Max warned her. Looking around they noticed that most people on the plane were asleep, their friends included. "Zo, why don't you have a nap? You don't want to feel too jetlagged when we land."

"You need to too, we'll be busy moving you in when we land and we'll need all the energy that we can muster for that."

"How did we fit everything in your boot on the way here?" Max asked as they tried to fit their luggage in the boot of Zoe's car, Zoe especially had bought quite a lot while she'd been in Vegas and now she was left with the problem of getting it all back to her house.

"Things will just have to go on your lap." Zoe decided after she'd been staring at the full boot for a few seconds.

"I'm only doing this because I love you and I want to get home." Max spoke once they'd gotten in the car, his lap now covered in shopping bags.

"We're going to struggle with moving you in."

"I don't really have anything to bring, clothes will be easy to get in here and then I don't have much else. We'll manage, trust me."

"I want it to be our house, not mine with some of your things dotted around." Zoe told him as they pulled up onto her drive way.

"How about we think about this whole moving thing after a nap? I don't know about you but I'm exhausted."

"Fine, we need to bring everything in from the car first though. Go on Mr Muscles, you bring the cases in and I'll put the kettle on." Zoe spoke, not feeling like going outside again as she removed her heels.

"Robyn? What are you doing here?" Max asked as he spotted them when he'd gone outside to get the cases.

"We figured you'd be moving in so we thought we'd help you and bring your stuff over. " She said as she gestured to a taxi that had Lofty and several boxes in the back.

"You wanted rid of me that badly?" Max asked, smiling cheekily as Robyn look worried that she'd upset her step-brother. "I was joking, thank you Robyn." He told her and then hugged her whilst Robyn motioned for Lofty to start bringing boxes in. "Go in Zoe's got the kettle on and I'll help Lofty."


End file.
